Railroad track construction



` Aug. s, 1939. J. A. McGREw 2,168,616

'RAILROAD TRACK CONSTRUCTION A; 8, i939. J. A, Mac-:REW 2,168,675

RAILROAD TRACK CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 5. 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4Sheets-Sheet 3v V lo J. A. MGGREW RAILROAD TRACK cons'raucnow FiledAug.5. 1937 8, i9 J. A. MGGREW RAILROAD TRACK CONSTRUCTIO Filed Aug. 5, 19374 Sheets-Sheet 4 E'; ci 1U Patented Aug. 8,1939

UNITED STATES gPATENT oFFics Application August 5,

13 Claims.

This invention relates to railway track constructions and moreparticularly to the means employed for supporting rails upon andsecuring them to cross ties.

Many suggestions have heretofore been ad- .vanced for the improvement ofrailway track constructions by the provision of devices of various typesfor mounting and securing the customary rails permanently in positionupon the usual cross ties of the'roadbed, for the most part suchydevices having been designed and intended to so positively secure' therail base to the tie or like supporting element that relative movementbetween the rail and tie is substantially prevented, the rail engagingelements of the securing devices comprising rigid members attached inturn to an associated tie plate or other rail support by nonresilientmeans. It has heretofore been proposed, however, that resilient meansmight advantageously be employed for effecting the `attachment of therail toits underlying support Vand certain attachment devices embodyingresilient rail engaging clips have been demonstrated to be generallysatisfactory in actual use. The rail attachment means embodying aresilient clip has the advantage of permitting rwave action of the railunder rolling wheel loads to freely occur without causing tilting orrocking of the ties which, particularly where traffic is heavy, has beenfound to be quite injurious to tie and roadbed.

One form of such resilient v rail fastening means heretofore used withsuccess comprises a resilient clip or spring lever disposed transverselyof the longitudinal axis of the rail and having its inner end resting onthe upper surface of the rail Vflange and its outer end resting on theupper surface of the laterally projecting portion of the underlying tieplate. An attachment bolt located intermediate the ends of the springclip or lever connects the clip positively to the tie plate. Preferablyboth rail securing devices used in connection with a single tie plateare of the resilient type and preferably also the rail seating surfaceof the tie plate is cambered in a direction longitudinally of the rail,the resilient rail engaging clips being positioned substantially in thetransverse vertical planeof the peak or highest element of thelongitudinally cambered rail seating surface.

In track constructions having rail securing devices of this kind, eachshort section of rail may rock slightly, or roll, upon the underlyingrail seating surface when wave action occurs due to the passage over therail of the wheels of locomotives and heavy cars, and it has been found1937, Serial No. 157,623

(Cl. 23S-349) that, despite this rocking movement of the rail upon thetie plate, the resilient securing devices quite adequately hold the railin its proper position, not only preventing overturning, but alsopreventing creeping. Wear of the resilient clips due to repeated passageof trains is negligible, but even where some slight wear occurs, thereis no loosening of the grip of the securing clip upon the rail basebecause of the resilience of the clip, and the rail base is rmly grippedor clamped at all times, an advantage not realized when rail attachmentdevices of non-resilient type are used, such devices tending toeventually become loose and to require constant adjustment andattention. Likewise, when resilient rail securing devices of the typedescribed are made use of a very considerable wear and tear on the ties.themselves is eliminated since no tie need follow the rail in its wavemotion but may remain quiescent in its position in the ballast.

The present invention contemplates an improved fastener or securingdevice of the type just above generally described, embodying a resilientclip of novel form and construction and a clip securing or attachmentbolt of novel form, the principal purpose of the invention being torprovide a clip and bolt assembly of such nature that the possibilitiesof breakage thereof, even under the most severe conditions of operation,are eliminated. It will be apparent that in the usual case, and Where arail fastening device including a resilient clip is used, the clipitself will be subjected to certain twisting forces when in use, havingone end resting upon the surface of a relatively stationary member, i.e., the tie plate and its other end resting upon and tightly engaging arocking member, i. e., the rail base. While in many instances themovement of the rail base with reference to the tie plate is notsufficiently great to cause such distortion of the resilient clips as tobring about excessive internal strains and failures thereof, itnevertheless has been found that a certain amount of breakage of theseclips results from the repeated strains set up therein due to repeatedtwistings under heavy trahie. This is particularly true where theresilient clip is formed of a flat metallic member of substantial width,one edge of which bears upon the rail base for a distance co-eXtensivewith the Width of the clip and the other end of which bears upon the tieplate for the same distance, a form of clip which has heretofore beenfound to be particularly useful in actual practice. Likewise, strainsdue to twisting have been set up in the clips heretofore employedbecause of the use of attachment bolts so secured to the tie plates asto be immovable when once installed, the bolt itself opposing the minormovements of the clip when wave action of the rail occurs and hencefurther increasing the stresses set up in the clip. Again, in the caseof the rail securing means embodying a resilient clip which hasheretofore been found most successful in use, the at metallic clip hasbeen centrally apertured, the securing bolt passed through thisaperture, and an adjustable nut placed upon the upper end of the bolt,the lower surface of which rests upon and bears against the uppersurface of the clip, the lower surface of the securing nut being incoritact with the upper surface of the clip over a considerable area.The securing nut has therefore tended to also oppose the minor twistingmovements of the clips and to further magnify the strains set up thereinin service and which tend to produce breakage.

In accordance with the present invention a railway track construction isprovided embodying resilient clips and attachment bolts of the typeheretofore found most generally successful in use, the clips comprisingrelatively wide metallic spring members, but the structure of both clipand bolt is so modified that the possibility of clip breakage due todistortion is eliminated. The clip itself is so designed that that endthereof which normally contacts with the upper surface of the railflange is shaped to contact with that surface at one point only, or atmost for a very short distance only, this point of contact being in avertical plane transverse to the rail and through the axis of thesecuring bolt, this plane also including the peak or uppermost elementof the cambered rail seating surface of the tie plate. Hence waveaction, or rocking motion of the rail on the tie plate, is notcommunicated to the tie plate, at least to any appreciable degree, whileat the same time the metal of the clip is not subjected to the strainsdue to twisting as heretofore observed. Preferably, although notnecessarily, that end of the metallic clip which rests upon the tieplate at a point remote from the rail base is so formed that its cornersonly engage this surface, a clip thus formed having thus three points ofcontact, two points of contact with the tie plate and a single point ofcontact with the base of the rail.

Furthermore, the clip is upwardly arched from end to end, its highestpoint, when assembled in a track structure, being substantially at thepoint where it is apertured for the passage of the track securing bolt.Hence the clip securing nut on the upper end of the bolt, which nut willhave the customary flat lower surface, will make only line contact withthe upper surface of the clip instead of bearing against the clip-over asubstantial area of the surface of the clip, thus offering no resistanceto any deformation of the clip in a longitudinal vertical plane, andfurther reducing the possibility of overstrain. Again, the enlargedheads of the clip securing bolts, which heads are adapted to engagespaced, downwardly diverging, at surfaces in the tie plate, arecylindrically curved so that the opposed curved surfaces of the head ofthe bolt make line contact only with such surfaces. This permits thebolt to rock in a plane parallel to the vertical plane of the railaXisto a slight extent and thus facilitates self-adjustment of theattachment device. It has heretofore been customary to so form the headof the attachment bolt and the undercut recessI of the tie plate intowhich this head is received that rocking movement of the bolt relativelyto the tie plate has not been possible, thus increasing the likelihoodthat injurious strains in the clip may be set up, by resistance of thebolt to movement of the clip, as has been previously pointed out.

The clip of the present invention likewise is so designed that it may bemanufactured with great economy and assembled with ease in a trackconstruction. It furthermore is so formed as to cooperate in a novelmanner with the rail and tie plate in securing the attachment bolt inits normal position so that accidental dislodgment of the bolt is notpossible. The greater the tension in the clip, the more rmly it pressesthe attachment bolt into normal position. The bolt engaging portion ofthe clip likewise locks the clip itself against movement outwardly ofthe rail and in fact the several elements of the attachment device areso designed that failure of the clip is impossible except in the veryrare instance of defective material. Other advantages of the inventionwill be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the accompanying drawings two forms of the invention are disclosed byway of example, these embodiments being similar in all respects exceptfor the formation of the resilient securing clip, the first form of theinvention being illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 and the second form inFigures 7 to 12.

Figure l shows in plan a single tie plate comprising one element of thetrack construction, the superposed rail being indicated in chain linesand the securing clips and attachment biolts shown, one clip and itsassociated bolt being shown in plan and the other in horizontal section;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 isI a section on line 5 5 of Figure l;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the resilient clip;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a tie plate similar to that shown in Figure1, the attachment clips illustrated, however, being of modified form;

Figure 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Figure '7;

Figure 9 is an edge view of the tie plate;

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 8;

Figure l1 is a section along the line II-II of Figure, '7; and

Figure 12 isy a perspective view of the modified form of a resilientclip.

It will be understood that those elements of the railway trackconstruction which are not illustrated may be of conventional form andfor that reason need not be specifically described. The ties made use ofare generally of wood, but the invention contemplates the use ofconcrete or metallic ties, the ties being either seated in the usualcrushed rock or conventional ballast or rigidly supported, as whenmounted on bridges.

The tie plate I-Il is provided with a plurality of apertures I I for thereception of devices by means of which it may be secured to a tie, thesedevices being preferably screw bolts where wooden ties are used so thatthe plate is firmly attached in position. Centrally of the tie plate isa rail base receiving portion, indicated at I2, upon which the base ofthe rail I3 rests, the rail base receiving surface of the tie platebeing substantially coextensive in Width with the base of the rail, ribsI4, or equivalent integral portions of the tie plate laterally definingthe limits of the rail receiving surface. This surface I2 is upwardlyarched or cambered in a direction longitudinally of the rail, asindicated in Figure 3 (where the degree of curvature is somewhatexaggerated), so that the rail may rock or roll slightly on its seatingsurface when it flexes vertically due to the passage thereover of heavywheel loads. The peak of the cambered surface is midway of the seatingsurface |2 and the rail attachment devices are positioned in thetransverse vertical plane which includes the peak or uppermost elementof the cambered surface. Preferably these attachment devices areidentical, although it is not necessary that this be so. One only willbe described.

The resilient clip is indicated at l5 and the attachment bolt at I6, theclip extending horizontally and the bolt vertically. The clip ispreferably formed from a flat member of sheet or strip steel by stampingand bending operations of simple nature. When completed it is generallyU-shaped, as shown, with a relatively long upper arm I5', which isupwardly arched from end to end, and a relatively short lower arm |52,which may be straight. It will be understood that the clip is beingdescribed as it appears when operatively positioned in a trackstructure. The free end of the upper arm I5 of the clip is convexlycurved as shown at |53 and the free end |54 of the lower arm is convexlycurved, .the free end of the upper arm therefore contacting with theflat inclined upper surface of th-e rail base at one point, or at mostfor a short distance only, and the free end of the lower arm contactingwith the fiat upper surface of the tie plate at spaced points, i. e., atits corners. The clip therefore has only one point of contact with therail and this point of Contact is in the transverse vertical plane whichincludes the highest or peak element of the longitudinally curved orcambered surface of the rail seating surface I2, the downward presysureof the clip therefore being applied in such` manner' that the railbottom is strongly forced against the highest point of the seatingsurface when the rail is in its normal position. When the rail flexesunder moving wheel loads its line of contact with the seating surfacewill change but, even though the rocking or rolling movement of the railon the tie plate may be quite extensive, no twisting of the clip willresult owing to the fact that the clip contacts with the rail at onepoint or at most only for a very short distance. While it is preferredthat the free end of the shorter arm I52 of the clip contact with thetie plate at two spaced points only, thus giving -the clip a three pointcontact with rail and tie plate, this is not essential, and the end ofthe arm may, if desired, make line contact with the surface of the tieplate.

The upper arm I5 of theclip has an aperture I55 formed therein for thereception of the attachment bolt 6. This aperture is located at thehighest point of the arch of the clip. The metal removed in theformation of the aperture is not completely severed but remainsconnected to the tively, the flat upwardly converging walls |133 of thetie plate. The upper surfaces of the projections I 6 of the bolt headare, respectively, cylindrically curved about parallel axes, which axesare, when the bolt is positioned as shown,

-disposed normally to a vertical plane through the rail axis so thateach of these projections has contact with the inclined surface above italong a line normal to this plane. Hence, l during assembly of the boltand clipl the bolt may automatically position itself so as to besubjected to face which bears upon the upper surface of the clip.Because the upper arm I 5 of the clip is upwardly arched from end toend, however, the nut II has only line contact therewith, the line o-fcontact (interrupted centrally by the aperture |55) being parallel tothe rail axis and passing through the center of the bolt, The tongue |56of the clip is so located that, after assembly of the bolt and clip inoperative position, and

tightening of the nut I'I to cause the end of the clip to bear upon therail base with the desired pressure, the tongue presses against the bolti6 to hold it securely in position. The bolt, by reason of the fact thatit cannot move outwardly or away from the rail, comprises a stop for theclip,

preventing the clip from moving away from the rail, no matter howheavily stressed. The free end of the tongue I56 projects downwardlyinto the recess formed in the tie plate and its lower extremity ishorizontally opposed to the vertical outer end wall of the slot withinwhich the bolt head is located, so that the force exerted on the bolt bythe clip does not tend to overturn the bolt.

By reason of the fact that the clip has one point contact with the railbase, the securing nut line contact with the clip, and the bolt may moveor rock in a plane parallel to the rail axis, assembly of the attachmentunit may be quickly accomplished without danger of setting up in theclip stresses which tend to twist the clip. Furthermore, during servicethe clip cannot be twisted or strained notwithstanding substantialrocking movements of the rail base on its seating surface.

The clip or spring lever 2|) shown in Figures '7, 8, 10, 11 and 12 is ofmodied form but will function in the same manner as that just described.By reason of the fact that it is not U- shaped in vertical section,having no lower arm, it is somewhat stiffer and less resilient than thatshown in Figures 1 to 6. Its inner end 2D', however, makes point contactwith the rail base, or contacts therewith for a very short distanceonly,

the securing nut 2| makes line contact with the upwardly arched surfacethereof, and the bolt 22 vis of the self-aligning type previouslydescribed, the tie plate being identical with the tie plate It shown inthe figures of the drawings rst described. By preference the outer end252 of the clip contacts with the tie plate at two spaced points only,although, as in the case of the form of clip first described, this isnot essential. This form of clip is somewhat less expensive to fabricatethan that rst described and, in certain types of track constructions,may be preferred. It is clear that the clip, bolt and tie plate may bechanged or modied in minor respects Without departure from the teachingsof the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A railroad track construction comprising in combination, a tie platehaving a cambered rail engaging and supporting portion and portionsextending laterally therefrom, a rail having its base resting upon therail supporting portion of the tie plate, and a spring clip attached toone of the laterally extending portions of the tie plate atsubstantially the transverse center line thereof and extending over therail base and at substantially right angles therewith, the end of theclip having a relatively sharp edge contacting with the rail base atsubstantially a single point above the peak of the camber on the tieplate.

2. A railroad track construction comprising the combination with a railto be supported of a tie plate underlying the base of the rail andhaving a surface cambered longitudinally of the rail upon which the railrests, and upon which surface the rail may rock when it exes verticallyunder moving wheel loads, and a spring clip attached to the tie plateand having an end overlying the rail base, said clip having a relativelysharp edge contacting with the rail base at substantially a singlepoint, which point is directly above the line of contact of the rail andtie plate when the rail is in its normal unflexed condition.

3. A railroad track construction comprising in combination, a rail, alongitudinally cambered tie plate underlying the rail and projectinglaterally therefrom, an upwardly arched spring clip having one endengaging the upper surface of the rail base above the peak of the camberon the tie plate and the other end engaging the upper surface of the tieplate, the center line of the clip being at right angles to that of therail, said clip having a central aperture therein at its highest point,a securing bolt projecting through said aperture and having its lowerend attached to the tie plate, a nut on said bolt above the clip, saidnut having line contact with the upper surface of the clip when adjustedto tension the clip.

4. A railroad track construction comprising a tie plate having alongitudinally cambered rail seating siuface and portions projectinglaterally thereof, a resilient clip engaging the upper surface of therail base at one point adjacent the peak of the camber of said tie plateand engaging the tie plate at two points spaced apart, and means formaintaining the clip in contact with the tie plate and rail baserespectively.

5, A railroad track construction comprising a tie plate having acambered rail seating surface and a portion projecting laterally of suchsurface, a rail seated on said surface, and rail flange clamping meansincluding a bolt and arched resilient clip, one end of the clip having arelatively sharp edge affording substantially point contact with therail flange above the peak of the camber on the tie plate and the bolthaving a nut thereon which makes line contact with the clip.

6. The combination with a rail and a longitudinally cambered tie plateof rail securing means comprising a vertically disposed bolt and aresilient clip, the bolt being connected to the tie plate and at leastone of the contacting surfaces of the bolt and tie plate being curved toprovide for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the rail axis andthe clip being engaged by the bolt head and having one point contactwith the rail in a plane including the axis of the bolt and the peak ofthe camber, and normal to the rail axis.

7. As an article of manufacture, a clip of resilient metal, generallyU-shaped, and having a relatively long arm and a relatively short arm,said long arm being apertured for the reception of a bolt, the ends ofboth of said arms being arcuately formed for providing limited points ofcontact between the clip and the rail base and tie plate surfaces.

8. A railroad track construction comprising the combination with a railto be supported of a tie plate underlying the base of the rail andhaving a longitudinallycambered rail supporting surface upon which therail may rock slightly as it lexes under moving wheels loads, and otherportions extending laterally from said tie plate upon each side of therail, a resilient clip having relatively acute edge portions thereonproviding threepoint Contact with the rail base and the tie plate, twoof such points being spaced apart on the tie plate in the directionlongitudinally of the rail, and the third being on the rail base at apoint intermediate the other two as considered in the same direction andabove the peak of the camber on the tie plate, and means for applyingthe clip with clamping pressure to the rail and tie plate.

9. A railroad track construction comprising the combination with a railto be supported of a tie plate underlying the base of the rail andhaving a longitudinally cambered rail supporting surface upon which therail may rock slightly as it exes under moving wheel loads, and otherportions extending laterally from said tie plate upon each side of therail, a resilient clip being formed of a metal strip having arcuateforward and rear ends, the forward end being curved conveXly toward thecenter line of the rail, the convex lower edge of said end being tangentto the surface of the rail base which it overlies and contactingtherewith at substantially a single point and above the peak of thecamber on the tie plate, the concave rear end of the clip formingrelatively sharp corners at each side of the rear edge of the clip andbearing upon the extending portion` of the tie plate with point contactat spaced points longitudinally of the rail, and ,f

means for applying clamping pressure to the clip.

10. A railroad track construction comprising the combination with a railto be supported of a longitudinally cambered tie plate underlying thebase of the rail and having a rail supporting surface upon which therail may rock slightly as it exes under moving wheel loads, and otherportions extending laterally from said tie plate upon each side of therail, a resilient clip having relatively acute edge portions thereonproviding three point contact with the rail base and the tie plate, twoof such points being spaced apart on the tie plate in the directionlongitudinally of the rail, and the third being on the rail base at apoint intermediate the other two as considered in the base of the railand having a rail supporting surface upon which the rail may rockslightly as it llexes under moving wheel loads, and other portionsextending laterally from said tie plate upon each side of the rail, aresilient clip having relatively acute edge portions thereon providingthree point contact with the rail base and the tie plate, two of suchpoints being spaced apart on the tie plate in the directionlongitudinally of the rail, and the third being on the rail base at apoint intermediate the other two as considered in the same direction andabove the peak of the carnber on the tie plate, and a bolt and nutassembly passing freely through the substantially central portion ofsaid clip and serving toI connect said clip with the tie plate, the boltand nut assembly bearing on the top of the clip with line contact in adirection longitudinally of the rail and bearing upwardly against aportion of the tie plate at two spaced points with line contacttransversely of the rail, at least one of the cooperating surfaces ofthe bolt and nut assembly and the tie plate being curved to provide aself-centering connection at said point.

12. A railroad track construction comprising the combination with a railto be supported of a longitudinally cambered tie plate underlying thebase of the rail and having a rail supporting surface upon which therail may rock slightly as it flexes under moving wheel loads, and otherportions extending laterally from said ltie plate upon each side of therail, a resilient clip having relatively acute edge portions thereonproviding three point Contact with the rail base and the tie plate, twoof such points being spaced apart on the tie plate in the directionlongitudinally of the rail, and the third being on the rail base at apoint intermediate the other two as considered in the same direction andabove the peak of the camber on the tie plate, a bolt passing through anaperture in said clip and an aperture in said tie plate, said last namedaperture having an enlarged portion adjacent the rail seat, and a tonguedepending from said clip, entering said last named aperture and bearingoutwardly against said bolt to prevent the latter being displacedlaterally toward said rail into the enlarged portion of said aperture.

13. As an article of manufacture, a rail fastening clip of resilientplate metal, said clip being substantially rectangular in outline buthaving an outwardly or convexly arcuate end and an inwardly or concavelyarcuate end, for providing points of limited contact with a rail baseand tie plate, the midpoint of the convex end adapted to bear sharply onthe rail base and the two spaced side points of the concave end adaptedto bear sharply on the tie plate.

JOHN A. MCGREW.

